He wondered as they moved into the hospital.

A voice whispered into his mind, which startled him so much that he nearly dropped his gun in surprise. The man who'd spoken didn't seem particularly loud, however, and he didn't think think the others heard anything strange while they were all moving around inside the hospital's main entrance.

Lance asked back, looking at Jacob and Sophie and wondering if this person had somehow co-opted his [Mindread].

He couldn't see any signs that either Jacob or Sophie had noticed anything different, but then again, maybe they would only notice something like a presence if they had already been using their abilities. He didn't know their strengths—at least with regards to Mana Manipulation--but it wouldn't have surprised Lance if he was the only one hearing the mysterious voice.

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The voice was muffled, but it sounded kind of familiar.

This time, he did drop his gun in shock: there was no one else here with them. That meant that whoever it was talking to him was telepathically speaking into anyone's mind.

More importantly, he didn't even know what had happened to his parents. After the world had gone to shit a few days ago, he'd never been able to contact them again.

Maybe he hadn't met this person yet? Was he in the future, trying to warn him of some danger coming from behind him, or something along those lines?

Stranger things had happened.

Lance thought back.

The man—or woman—in Lance's head spoke firmly but politely like an old school teacher giving a warning to a student that wasn't doing their homework properly. Lance felt like they were discussing something trivial though: how Lance should clean up his room after having been caught playing a prank on someone. He couldn't figure out if this stranger was simply being rude—and perhaps even condescending--or whether it was all part of some elaborate test of strength or skill between them.

Lance thought.